Brooder



Patented Jan. 23, 1940 f f- UNITED STATES PATENT; orrlcla.A

BROODER u John-VE. Schlottmann, Kenedy, Tex. Application June .24, 1938', ySerial No. 215,679

2 claims. (ci. 11s-s4) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements 'in -brooders for chicks, and the primary object of the present invention is to ,l provide a brooder having av novel arrangement of heating means, hover and runway.

More particularly, the present invention contemplates the provision of a brooder having hot water heating means, and wherein the hot water ,Y heating coilA is so llocated as to function with 'T10 maximum efficiency and to permit the supply and return water pipes thereof to be readily run under ground to avoid undue loss of heat and sudden temperature change in the brooder.

Other objects and features of the'present invention will` become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the invention consists in the novel -form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in said accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a brooder constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1, with parts'broken away and in section.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the present invention consists of a suitable shed or enclosure including front Wall 5, rear wall 6, side walls 'I and roof 8, the enclosure being built upon the ground 9 and preferably having suitable windows I0 in the front wall 5 thereof.

In accordance with the present invention, the

ground 9 is recessed as at II along one wall of the enclosure (preferably along the rear wall 6) to provide an air chamber below the surface of the ground. AArranged in this chamber or recess II is a hot water heating coil I2 embedded in sand and having suitable thermostatically controlled valve means I3 for controlling the ow of hot water therethrough and maintaining a uniform temperature within the brooder. As the heating coil I2 is arranged below the surface of the ground in the recess or chamber II, its supply pipe I4 and return pipe I5 may be readily extended under ground to the boiler or hot water heater which supplies hot water to the heating coil, even though said boiler or heater may be located at a remote point from the brooder. In this way, there is little loss of heat and no danger of sudden change of temperature in the brooder as long as a constant supply of hot water is maintained. The major portion of the top of recess or air chamber I'I is closed by a metallic` `plate Iii-arranged ush lwith the level of the: ground 9 Vwithinvvthe enclosure, said plate terminating in an .upturned flange I'I in spaced relation to the adjacent wall l5 of the enclosure.` 5 In this way, aue I8 is defined between-the flange I1 'and wall 6 of the enclosurefor the passage of air to chamber II and for ow of air heated by the coil or heater I2v from chamber or t recess II Vto the `interior of the enclosure above 10,` the floor of the latter. The top of vthis flue is covered by a porous relatively strong sheet of fabric I9 which permits the free passage of air to and from the chamber or recess IIV While preventing the chicks "from ente'ringsaid 'uel '1151 and recess II. n

A layer, preferably about three inches in depth,

I of sand 20 is provided on the ground surface and the plate I6 within the enclosure to form the oor of the brooder,and disposed adjacent 20 but in spaced relation to and above the floor thus formed is a flat wall 2| extending from the wall 6 of the enclosure to a point adjacent but spaced from the opposed wall 5 and inclined downwardly toward the latter so as to provide between said 25 wall 2I and the floor of the enclosure a hover chamber 22. The warm air passing from the air chamber I I thus flows directly into the hover chamber 22 for providing the necessary warmth for the chicks in a generally well known man- 30 ner and for a generally Well-known purpose. A curtain of fabric 23 is suspended from the lower forward edge of wall 2I toward the floor of the enclosure so as to permit the passage of the chicks into the hover chamber although minimizing the 35" escape of warm air therefrom into the portion of the enclosure above the wall 2I and forwardly of the latter. It will be'noted that the forward edge of wall 2l is suiiiciently close to the oor of the enclosure to permit the chicks to readily have w access to the top of said wall 2| so that the latter will form a suitable runway on which the chicks may walk and move about for obtaining the necessary exercise. This wall 2I is preferably hinged to wall 5 so that it may be swung upwardly as indicated in Figure 1, and it consists of a laminated member including a top asbestos layer or sheet 24, an intermediate layer of Wool 25 and a bottom sheet or layer of aluminum 25. As 50 the bottom aluminum sheet 26 is a good conductor of heat, it will serve to cause a very uniform distribution of heat throughout the top of the hover chamber 22. The top layer 2I of asbestos will protect the feet of the chicks from excessive 55.

heat being transmitted thereto when the chicks are on the runway formed by the wall 2l.

With the use of a brooder constructed as described above, it will be readily apparent that 5 there will be a minimum loss of heat and danger of sudden change of temperature in the brooder is eliminated. Moreover, the heating means removes no humidity from the air Within the brooder and it is not necessary to humidify the w air by use of Water pans, sprinkling the ground or the like, the droppings ofthe chicks supplying all of the humidity necessary. It will be seen that the construction is simple, compact and eicienf, being extremely easy and economical l5 to build or construct and affording a very efficient enclosure Within Which to raise chicks during the period immediately following hatching yor incubation. Minor changes in the details illustrated and described are of course ycontemplated'within 20 the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. A brooder structure built upon the ground with a recess in the ground along one vertical wall of said brooder structure, a horizontal cover Q5 for the major portion of the top of said recess flush with the ground surface and terminating adjacent but; spaced from said vertical wall of the brooder structure to aord an air ue for passage of heated air from said recess into the portion of the brooder structure above said cover, a layer of sand on the ground and on said cover, a hot water heating coil located in said recess for heating air in the latter for passage through said flue to the interior of the b-rooder 35 above said cover, a Wall disposed above said cover in spaced relation to and adjacent the latter and extending from said vertical Wall in an inclined position, said last-named wall having a top layer of heat insulating material to aiord a runway thereon and hover chamber there- 5) i under, said flue opening directly into one end of said hover chamber.

2. A brooder structure built upon the ground with a recess in the ground along one vertical wallof said broeder structure, a horizontal cover 10 for the `majorportion of the' top of said recess flush with the ground surface and "terminating adjacent but spaced from said vertical wall of the brooder-structure to afford an air Ilue for passage of heated air from said recess into the 15 portion of `the brooder structure above said cover,

a layer of sand on the ground and on said cover, a hot water heating coil located in said recess for heating air in the latter for passage through said ue to the interior of the brooder above said 20 cover, a wall disposed above said cover in spaced relation to and adjacent the latter and extending from said vertical wall in an inclined position, said last-named wall having a top layer of heat insulating material to afford a runway thereonand hover chamber thereunder, said ue opening directly into one end of` said hover chamber, a porous cover for the top of said nue preventing'passage of the chicks from the hover 30 chamber to said recess, and feed and return pipes for said heating coil extending from a heater remote vthe brcoder structure and embedded in the ground. v

" JOHN E. SCHLOTTMANN. y,8&5 

